MScSM | Criteria & Minimum Standards

Admission Criteria - Minimum Standards

The next available MScSM Program begins in September 2025. The online application system for this program will open on October 1, 2024 and will close March 15, 2025.

Please also refer to the Required Documents page which has additional details on all the documents applicants must submit and our Application Essentials document.

Academic requirements

  • An appropriate undergraduate bachelor degree - a four-year undergraduate bachelor degree from an accredited university in any area of management science, social science, natural science and engineering or any management, environment or natural resource driven background, with a standing GPA equivalent to at least a mid-B (a UofT mid-B is a grade between 73% to 76%, or 3.0 on a 4.0 scale) in the final year of their undergraduate program (the most recent 5.0 full credit or 10 half credit) senior level credits. Senior level courses are third and fourth year courses, not first or second year courses. At UofT, half-credit courses are semestered courses i.e. a course that is completed in one semester - four months in length (for example, September to December or January to April). Full credit courses are those that are a full academic year in length - 8 months (for example September to April).
  • Domestic applicants can access the  Canadian Undergraduate Grading System Conversion Table to help in determining GPA equivalents.
  • International applicants can access the International Degree Equivalency Page at UofT School of Graduate Studies.

Statistics or Calculus Course

  • Successful completion of an undergraduate university credit course in statistics, calculus, or linear algebra course. This course must be a credit course as part of an undergraduate bachelor degree from an accredited university. Statistics courses that are non-credit, part of a continuing studies program, or a college, or a certification program, do not satisfy this requirement.
  • Statistics courses on Coursera or other MOOC sites do not satisfy this requirement as these courses are non-program and non-credit.
  • Only university statistics or calculus courses are considered.
  • A minimum grade of B- is required. If an applicant has a grade in statistics/calculus/algebra that is lower than B-, that applicant may still be considered for admission but may be required to re-take statistics - and achieve the preferred grade - before they start the MScSM Program. This will be a condition on any offer of admission we may extend.
  • If your statistics or calculus course does not have the words "Statistics" or "Calculus" in the course title on your transcript but you think it may qualify as a statistics/calculus course, then you will be required to submit the full course outline (not just a short course description) of that course as part of your application, for our assessment.
  • It is the applicant's responsibility to provide all required documents, including course outlines.

Research Methods Course

  • It is preferred that applicants have taken a Research Methods course in their four-year undergraduate bachelor degree program. A Research Methods course is one that introduces the language of research (i.e. terminology), ethical principles, and the elements of the research process including quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods approaches. Understanding research methodologies is an important skill for graduate school as it helps students obtain a solution to a problem.
  • If an applicant has taken a Research Methods course, please list the course (with course code and title as listed on your official transcript) on your Resume.
  • If an applicant has not taken a Research Methods course, please still apply to our program! Accepted students will be asked to complete a Research Methods course before the program begins.

English Proficiency for International Students

  • English Proficiency Test (TOEFL / IELTS / CAEL): If your primary language is not English and you graduated from a non-Canadian university where the language of instruction was not in English, then you must demonstrate your facility in English by successfully completing an acceptable English Facility Test. This requirement must be met at the time you submit your application. Your application will not be considered  until your official score report (that meets our minimum standards in all sections) is sent to UofT BEFORE the final application deadline, March 15, 2025.
  • NOTE: You are not required to complete an English Facility Test if you are a Canadian citizen who has studied at a Canadian university where the language of instruction is French.
  • NOTE: You are not required to complete an English Facility Test if your four-year undergraduate bachelor degree from an accredited university was entirely in English language instruction (all courses, all four years).
  • NOTE: If you are Permanent Resident in Canada but your four-year undergraduate bachelor degree was not in English instruction, you are required to take TOEFL or IELTS or CAEL, and achieve our minimum requirements, for us to consider your application.
  • International applicants may have earned a degree in a program split between two institutions. In such cases, even if the degree is awarded by an English-medium institution, official language scores (such as TOEFL or IELTS or CAEL) must be provided, as the language of instruction and examination was not uniformly in English, for all four years.
  • Applicants must arrange for their official TOEFL or IELTS or CAEL official score report to be sent electronically to UofT Enrollment Services Department. The MScSM program is not able to accept official TOEFL/IELTS/CAEL score reports - they can only be accepted, processed, and verified centrally at UofT in the Enrolment Services Department.
  • Our minimum requirements for IELTS (Academic Version) are: at least 7.0 in the overall band and 7.0 in each section (Reading, Speaking, Listening, and Writing).
  • Our minimum requirements for TOEFL are: at least 100 in the Total and at least 22 in each section. We do NOT accept TOEFL Essentials or MyBest score reports.
  • Our minimum requirements for CAEL are: 70 minimum total with at least 70 in each section.
  • Please note that meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to our program. More details about these tests can be found on the SGS website.
  • Please note; (i) our MScSM TOEFL/IELTS/CAEL minimum requirements are higher than SGS minimums (ii) the average scores of accepted students is usually higher than the required minimums (iii) achieving the required minimum scores does not guarantee admission to the program):
    http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/prospectivestudents/Pages/English-Language-Proficiency-Testing.aspx
  • Why English Language test scores and skills are important:
    • Students in the MScSM program are often called upon to exercise their communication skills within the classroom daily through written assignments, group work, and oral presentations.
    • A strong command of the English language in all areas (oral, reading, writing, listening comprehension) is required for success in our rigorous, fast-paced program.
    • Students must be prepared to complete reading and writing assignments within short time frames as well as to productively contribute to in-class discussions and presentations.
    • Group work and in-class participation demand strong listening skills and comprehension of the language at an advanced graduate level.
    • All written assignments require very strong English language skills.

Work Experience

  • Work experience is not required however, work-related experience may be considered for applicants returning from the work force. However, these applicants must still meet the educational minimum required standards; GPA, degree discipline, and so on. Work experience does not compensate for an application that does not meet the minimum educational or other admission standards.
  • For applicants in general, although work experience is not required for admission, if you have had summer jobs or internships or volunteer work of any kind, it may be considered during the admission process but will not compensate for an applicant that does not meet minimum educational or other standards.

Other tests: GRE or GMAT

  • We do not require GRE or GMAT

Sections on online application: Collaborative Program, Field of Study, Combined Degree and Proposed Area of Study

  •  Responses in these four sections on the application form are not required

 

For more information, please refer to our FAQ page of our Application Essentials document. In addition, please contact an Admission officer at mscsm.utm@utoronto.ca with any questions!